Plant Library

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Description:

A wonderful clumping hybrid with large lobed umbrella shaped leaves that display deep purple spots on light green leaves variegated with silver; maroon flowers dangle under the leaves mid-spring; protect from spring frosts in colder areas

Ornamental Features

Kaleidoscope Hybrid Mayapple's attractive round leaves emerge creamy white in spring, turning light green in color with distinctive deep purple spots and tinges of silver throughout the season on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. It features bold burgundy bell-shaped flowers dangling from the stems in late spring.

Landscape Attributes

Kaleidoscope Hybrid Mayapple is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Kaleidoscope Hybrid Mayapple is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Kaleidoscope Hybrid Mayapple will grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Kaleidoscope Hybrid Mayapple is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.